Young Teens Can Be Taught To Save A Life

It's not only paid babysitters who need to know safe child care. Young teens (11-14), who stay home alone or must care for younger siblings in the absence of adults, have just as much responsibility to shoulder. And while many young people have a love of children and an earnest desire to do the right thing, few are prepared for, or even aware of, the immense responsibilities they assume. However, age and maturity don't necessarily go hand-in-hand and young teens can easily be taught to provide great child care-or even save a life!
It may seem obvious but any young teen in the position of staying home alone or caring for other children needs to know where an adult can be reached and the contact number for that adult. Additionally, they should know emergency numbers (fire, ambulance and police). It's always a good idea to leave a list by the phone. The list should also contain the Poison Center's toll free number, 800-222-1222. Should an emergency arise and it becomes necessary to call for help, the young teen should know his own phone number and be able to provide clear directions to his location.
It's important to be familiar with the house in terms of knowing all entrances and exits, fire/burglar alarms, first aid supplies, flashlights and off-limits areas. Young teens should know what to do in case of a fire, including all escape routes and where to go call for help. A medical center in Jupiter, Florida received a report about a student who had taken a babysitting class at the center. Apparently, the 14-year-old teen remembered what he'd learned when a fire broke out and he successfully got 8-year-old twins out of the house before the arrival of the fire department. The house was totally destroyed but no lives were lost.
Young teens can be taught to have the confidence, caring and skill to handle many emergencies. They should know where to locate first aid supplies and have access to a first aid chart for easy reference. (A first aid chart may be obtained from the American Academy of Pediatrics by calling 800-433-9016.) A medical center in Jacksonville, Florida learned that its babysitting class had produced an 11-year-old graduate who, while caring for her 5-year-old cousin, used abdominal thrusts to dislodge a hair barrette the young child had swallowed and choked on. In fact, the teen intervened and provided correct care when her adult aunt was prepared to smack the choking child on the back, potentially making the situation worse. Another medical center in Las Vegas, Nevada reports that an 11-year-old graduate of its babysitter program saved the life of his 14-month-old sister. While playing with his younger siblings, the young teen noticed that his baby sister had stopped coughing and began to turn red. He prevented her from choking when he performed abdominal thrusts to remove a half-bitten crayon from her throat.
Sometimes, emergencies arise due to special health conditions. Young teens must be aware of any conditions or medications used to treat those conditions and know how much, how often and how to give. A hospital in Beloit, Wisconsin was pleased to hear the heartwarming account of two sisters, ages 12 and 13, who'd helped their 12-year-old brother through a severe asthma attack while their parents were away. Because they'd taken a babysitter class at the hospital, one sister knew to comfort her brother while the other located his inhaler and then called 9-1-1. A 12-year-old graduate of a Youngstown, OH hospital's babysitter program reported back to the hospital that, because she'd taken the hospital's class, she knew how to provide care to her 11-year-old friend when she experienced a seizure and a subsequent bloody lip during an after-school bike ride.

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